Sheet separator



E. CHESHIRE V SHEET SEPARATOR Filed April 25 192) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E.CHESHIRE SHEET SEPARATOR Filed April 25,

1921 2 SheQtS-Sheet 3 EDWARD OESHIBE, OF BERLIN TOWNSHIP, WAD M i ACOUNTY, WISCONSIN, AB-

SIGNOE TGHIEHLE PRINTING PRESS & MANUFACTURING 66., F CECAGO, ILLI-NOIS, A COBPQRATION OF ILLINOIS.

sm'r SEPARATOR.

Application filed April 25, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD CHESHIRE, a citizen of the United States, anda resi ,dent of Berlin Township, in the county of Waukesha and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SheetSeparators, of which the 8, 1916, I have disclosed and claimed a suctionfoot for separating the top sheet from the remainder of a pile of stock,said foot having a suction opening in the lower side thereof and havingsuch lower side formed to prevent the creation of vacuum spaces be tweenthe top 'and second sheets at the parts of such sheets embracing saidsuction opening, or to create between the first and second sheets an airchamber embracing the edge of said opening and in communication withthe. atmosphere, the theory being that the formation of vacuum spacesbetween the top and second sheets, due to leakage of air through the topsheet into the suction opening of the foot, is avoided on account of airbeing admitted between the sheets. In said theory it is assumed that airspace or spaces relatively large in size will be formed between thefirst andsecond sheets and at the proper time to compensate for anyleakage of air through the top sheet into the suction opening of thefoot.

In my present invention an entirely different theory and structure areinvolved. In the present case my theory is to provide at all times anexposed air space or spaces between the suction foot and the top sheetof paper, the suction opening of the foot being in direct communicationwith said exposed air space or spaces, when the foot is placed upon the.to sheet of material, so that any leakage 0? air will be from the airspace or spaces over the sheet to the suction opening instead of aleakage of air through the top sheet. The suction will be sufficientlygreat to draw the top sheet of material up into a groove in the undersurface of the foot but not strong enough to extend through the topsheet to draw the second sheet, especially in view of the Serial No.464,432.

air leakage over the top sheet. The top sheet, as 1t recedes from thenext sheet on the pile, gradually cuts oil communication between thesuction opening of the shoe and the exposed air spaces above said topsheet. When the topsheet is drawn up completely into its limitingposition within the suction groove, communication between the suctionopening and exposed air spaces is cut off completel At this time,however, the top sheet at t e suction space is in a remote position withrespect to the second sheet,

-whereupon said top sheet, efi'ectively separated from the second sheet,may be. fed to suitable impression means.

One object of the present invention is to facilitate the separation ofsheet material in a simple and novel manner.

Another object is to provide a suction foot for separating sheetmaterial and having means whereby suction will not extend through asheet causing a second sheet to adhere thereto.

Another ob'ect is to provide a sim le,

compact, relia 1e and eficient suction oot adapted to meet the variousrequirements under service conditions.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangementdisclosed on the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is aperspective view, on an enlarged scale, showin a separating deviceconstructed in accor ancewith my invention in position upon a pile ofsheets;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the separating device, showing theposition whlch the suction foot assumes when not in contact with thepile of sheets; f Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of the suction oot;

Fig. 4 is a lon itudinal section through the suction foot, the sectionbeing taken on the line -4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of thearrows; i

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the inner faces of one of the sidewalls of the suction foot holder;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, on Y tion being taken on theline 6-6 of Fig. 7, but only the front part of the foot being shown; and

,' chine in connection with which my present separating device has sofar been used, the

- over the said flange.

cross bar 10, after rising from the pile, is given a forward movement,whereby the separated sheet is carried forward to other mechanisms. Thecross bar 10 has a vertical flange 11, in the rear side of which areformed a number of conical depressions 12 for a purpose to be hereafterdescribed.

Upon bar 10 is mounted the suction foot holder 13, whichis formed with achannel 14 fitting The holder is formed with a rearwardly extendinghollow boss 15 into which fits a plunger 16, the conical end of whichenters one or another of the conical depressions 12 of the flange 11,according to the position in which the holder 13 is placed lengthwise ofthe cross bar 10. The plunger 16 is pressed towards the flange 11 by aspring 17, but can be pulled outwardly by means of a latch lever 18pivoted to it on the outside of the boss 15, .the lower end of suchlever 18 engaging the 15, and the part of the lever above its pivotengaging an ear 19 on such boss. When it 18 desired to remove the holder13 from the cross bar 10, the.'upper end of the latch lever 18 ismanuall pushed forward, whereby the end-of the p unger 16 is releasedfrom the depression 12 of the cross bar 10, whereu on the holder 13,with the suction foot WlllC it carries, can be lifted off the cross bar10, or can'be longitudinally moved thereon to some other desired lateraladjustment. It Wlll be observed that this removal or adjustment can beeffected by the thumb andforefinger, the lever 18 being simply pinchedtowards the holder 13.

The suction foot comprises a shoe 20, to which is secured, by means ofscrews 21, a sole 22. The sole 22 has formed in its bottom face. nearthe edge which will be adjacent the front of the pile of sheets, asegment-shaped suction space of peculiar configuration. which spacecommunicates, by means of a number of holes 23 with a suction chamber 24formed within the shoe 20. A tube 25 enters the shoe and communicateswith the suction chamber 24, which tube is connected, by means of hose26 with a source of air suction. 1

The shoe 20 is formed, at its front part,

the vertical flange 11 of the cross' with a pair of laterally extendinpins 27, and, at its rear part with a pair 0 laterally extending pins28, the pins 28 however, being on a higher level than the pins 27. Thepins 27 are adapted to enter a pair of recesses 29 (Fig. 5) formed inthe opposed faces of side walls 30 which form part of the holder 13 andextend therefrom in a forward direction. The pins 28 are adapted to restin recesses 31 formed in the side walls 30, such recesses being formedso as to permit an upward and downward movement of the pins 28, andbeing formed with shoulders 33 against which the pins 28 rest when thesuction foot is not in or near contact with the pile. When the cross bar10 is.

lifted so that the suction foot is not in or near contact with the topof the pile, so that the rear pins 28 will rest upon the shoulders 33,the suction foot will be maintained in a position in which it slopesupward towards its front edge, as shown in Fig. 2. When, however, thecross bar 10 is lowered so as to bring the suction foot into contactwith the top of the pile, the bottom of the foot conforms to the levelof the top of the pile and rests lightly thereon, the bottom face of thecross bar 10 pressing on the top sheet.

When it is desired to remove the suction foot from the holder 13, thismay be readily and quickly done by releasing the holder 13 from thecross bar 10, whereupon the pins 27 may be. pushed rearwardly in therecesses 29, thereby causing pins 28 to drop out of the recesses 31, andpermitting the whole suction foot to be removed forwardly.

As the cross bar 10 descends onto the pile, the suction foot then beingin the position shown in Fi 2, the rear ed e of such foot first strikest e' top sheet, an suction being applied, a preliminary lifting of thefront e ge of the sheet is effected. As the cross bar furtherdescends,the suction foot tilts until its bottom face is horizontal(Fig. 1), resting lightly in that position while the cross bar 10presses firmly down on the top sheet of the pile. The top sheet havingbecome attached to the suction foot, the cross bar rises again. As thecross bar begins to rise, the front edge of the suction foot rises also,but the rear edge remains stationary until the pins 28 are engaged bythe shoulders 33, the suction foot.then being again in a tiltedcondition. By this means, as will be seen, the front edge of the sheetis first peeled away from the balance of the pile before any bodilyliftin of the whole sheet takes place, thereby o taining a moreefiicientseparating action, especially at high speeds. This lifting of the frontedge first also allows air to be efliciently blown in between the topand second sheets from-a blast nozzle 32 in such way as to introduce afilm of air between such sheets and thus reduce t emes as the frictionaland atmospheric resistance of the top sheet to being moved away. Thearrangement of the nozzle 32 as shown, in combination with thepreliminary liftin of the front edge of the sheet, has the et iect thatshould a second sheet by any chance be lifted with the first sheet, suchsecond sheet would probably be blown away from the first sheet and fallback on the pile. The position of the pile, and of the separated topsheet, after the cross bar 10 has been lifted so as to remove thesuction foot entirely from the pile, is shown in Fig. 2. From this itwill be seen that the separated sheet is held in such position that ifthe cross bar 10 and the separating devices (ordinarily two)which-itearries are moved forwardly so as transfer the separated sheettoanother part of the machine, the resistance of the atmosphere during thetransit of the sheet, will be exerted against the lower surface of thesheet, thereby tending to maintain it in its condition of being attachedto the separating devices.

The configuration of the segment-shaped suction space formed in the sole22 of the suction foot will best be understood from Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7.An arcuate groove 34,

having an inner lip 35 and an outer lip 36, which lips are located abovethe level of the bottom face of the sole 22, is formed 1n such sole insuch way that the ends of the groove open at the front face of the sole.it is'in this groove that the holes 23, communicating with the suctionchamber 25:, are formed, the series of holes 23 terminating short'of theends of the groove. On the outside of the groove 34:, and connecting thelip 33 with the bottom face of the sole, is a concave channel 37. On theinside of the groove 34 is a second concave channel 38, which connectsthe inner lip 35 with a segment-shaped fiat porton 39, which is locatedslightly above the level of the bottom face of the sole 22, and belowthe level of the lips 35 and 36. The proportion and arrangements ofthese parts is sometimes varied, in

providing suction feet for use in connection with heavy paper, whichwillnot permit of a very high degree of buckling, or exceed; ingly lightpaper, which may be buckled considerably. Q

When the suction foot first reaches the pile, suction being appliedthereto, the whole segment-shaped space, including the channels 37 and38, the groove 34, and the space below the fiat portion 39, is, ineficct, a large suction space, though the degree of suction is not high,owing to leakage at the front of the foot. As the part of the top sheetbeneath this space rises thereinto, the degree of suction increases,owing to the de crease of the leakage areaat the front. nally the liftedportion of the top sheet, des

sition shown in Fig. 6, in which it has engaged the lips 35 and 36 andbecome sealed rmly thereagainst. When this sealing of the top sheetagainst the lips 35 and 36 takes place, the full degree of suction is,for the first time, applied to the sheet, but only at the, part betweenthe lips 35 and 36. All other parts of the sheet, above and below, arecompletely out ofi' from suction and opened up to the atmosphere. Thisconstruction permits the use of a high and constant degree of vacuum,which is advantageous in many respects, among which is the insurance ofdefinite action, and the absence of necessity of varying the degree ofvacuum when papers having difi'erent characteristics are to beseparated. An especial advantage lies in the firm holding of the paperwhen the latter is not only to be separated by the foot but afterwardsto be bodily moved by it to another position.

The opening of the top sheet to the air, above and below, except only atthe part between the lips 35 and 36, will readily be understood fromFigs. 6 and "I. When, as above stated, the top sheet seals against thelips 35 and 36, further suction is immediately cut oil from the channels37 and 38,

into which channels air. immediately flows from the open ends (Fig. 7).Thus when the separating action has been completed,

with the foot resting on. the pile, an airfilled space A has beenformed, between the foot and the top sheet, in front of the suctionspace formed by the groove 34, a second similar air-filled space E hasbeen formed behind the said suction space, and a third air-filled spaceC has heen formed, between the top sheet 40 and the second sheet 41,beneath and surrounding the said suction space. It will thus be seenthat no condition of partial vacuum can exist between the suction footand the top sheet at any place other than at the groove 34. Such acondition of partial vacuum, if not prevented, might, by leakage throughthe pores of the paper be communicated to the'space between the top andsecond sheets, and might result in the separation of two sheets insteadof one only. It will also be seen that no condition of partial vacuumcan be created between the top and second sheets, either below thesuction space (created by the groove 34) or surrounding such suctionspace.

The placing of thefiat portion 39 slightly above the level oi the bottomface of the suction toot results in a quick initial lifting on the frontedge of the top sheet, and a quick inrush of air below such edge, whichis found to-be an aidto efl'ective separation at high speeds.

Having fully described my inventionwhat ters Patent is ignated 40 in thedrawings reaches the po- 1. A separator foot formed with a portion forresting on the sheet, a suction spacea part of the sheet is lifted toengage said sealing edge, and a cavity adjoinin said sealing edge on theopposite side t ereof from said suction space, said cavity beingdisposed so as to be open to the atmosphere when a sheet is sealedagainst said edge.

2. A separator foot formed with .a portion for resting on the sheet, asuction channel having a sealing edge wholly disposed abovethe plane ofsaid portion, and a cavity adjoining said sealing edge on the oppositeside thereof from said channel, said cavity being disposed so as to beopen to the atmosphere when a' sheet is sealed against said edge.

3. A separator foot formed with a portion for resting on the sheet, asuction channel having sealing edges wholly disposed above the plane ofsaid portion, and cavities adjoining said edges on the opposite sidesthereof from said channel, said cavities being disposed so as to be opento the atmosphere when a sheet is sealed against said edges.

4. A separator foot formed with a portion for resting on the sheet andwith achannel opening at its ends at the front of said foot, saidchannel having sealing edges wholly disposed above the lane of saidportion, whereby a part of t e sheet is lifted to engage said sealingedge.

5. A separator foot formed with a portion forresting on the sheet, asuction space opening at one end at the front of said foot and having asealing edge wholly disposed above the plane of said portion, and acavity opening at the front of said foot and adjoining said sealing edgeat the opposite side thereof from said suction space.

6. A separator foot formed with a portion for resting on the sheet, asuction channel opening at its ends at the front of said foot and'havingsealing edges wholly disposed above the plane of said portion, andcavities adjoining said sealin edges on the opposite sides thereof fromsaid channel and opening at the front of the foot.

7 A separator foot having a sheet engaging face formed with a primary.suction space, said foot being formed with a secondary suction spacewithin said primary space, the sealing edges of said secondary spacebeing disposed aboye the plane of said s eet-engaging face.

8. A separator foot having a sheet-engaging face formed with a primarysuction sfpace opening at the front of the foot, said oot being formedwith a secondary suction space within said primary space, a sealing edgeof said secondary space being disposed above the plane of saidsheet-engaging face.

9. Aseparator foot having a sheet-engag mouse a ing face formed with aprimary suction space, said foot being formed with a secondary suctionspace within said primary space, the sealing edges of said secondaryspace being dis osed above the plane of said sheet-engaging face, andwith a cavity adjoining one of said sealing edges on the opposite sidethereof from said secondary s ace, said cavit being open to the atmospere when a s eet is sealed against said edge.

10. A separator foot having a sheet-engaging face formed with a primarysuction s ace openi at the front of the foot, said oot bein ormed with asecondary suction channe within said primary space and opening at thefront of the foot, the sealing edges of said secondary channel beingdisposed above the plane of said sheetengaging face.

11. A separator foot having a sheet-engaging face formed with a primarsuction channel within said primary space, the seal ing edges of saidsecondary channel being disposed above the plane of said sheet-engagingface, and cavities, opening at the front of the foot, adjoining saidsealing edges on the opposite sides thereof from said channel.

13. A sheet separator com rising a support for being moved towar s andfrom a pile of paper, said support having a portion for pressing on thepile, and a suction foot rockably connected with said support so thatone portion thereof normally occupies a lower plane'than anotherportion, whereby, upon said support being moved away from the pile, oneportion of said foot will leave the pile earlier than the other portion.

14. A sheet separator comprising a support for being moved towards andfrom a pile of paper, said support having a portion for pressing on thepile, a suctionfoot, and means for rockably connecting said suction footwith said sup ort so that the rear art of said foot norma ly occupies alower plane than the front part, and upon said support being moved awayfrom the part of said foot will leave t e than the rear art.

15. A suction foot for separating one sheet of material from another,compri a ile, the front pile earlier I body having a suction opening andan air l-throu h the top sheet when thefoot is space permanently exposedto the atmoshere associated therewith, whereby suction initially willnot extend through a sheet of material when the foot is brought intooperative association therewith.

16. A suction foot for separating one sheet of material from another,comprising a body having a suction openin and an air space permanentlyexposed to t e atmosphere associated therewith and on the same side ofthe top sheet of material, whereby initially suction will not extendthrough the top sheet of material when the foot is brought intooperative association therewith.

17. A suction foot for separating one sheet of material from another,com rising a body having a suction opening an an air space permanentlyexposed to the atmos here in communication with each other w hen thefoot initially is brou ht into operative association with the top s eet,whereby air leakage is only from said air space to the suction opening.

18. suction foot for separating one sheet of material from another,comprismg a body having a suction opening and an all space permanentlyexposedto the atmosphere in communication with each other when the footinitially is brought into operative association with the top sheet,whereby air leakage is only from said air space to the suction openlng,and means whereby the top sheet may form a seal for the suction openingisolating the air space therefrom when said suction o ening through saidsuction,

groove, where y suction will not extend broug t into operativeassociation therewith.

20. In a suction foot for separating one sheet of material from another,comprising a body having a suction groove, a suction opening normallycommunicating therewith, an air space permanently exposed to theatmosphere and normally in communication with said suction openingthrough said suction groove, whereby when the suction foot initiallyengages a sheet of paper air leakage is only from the air space throughthe suction groove to the suction opening, the top sheet thereby beingdrawn into the suction groove and separated from thenext sheet, said topsheet finally sealing. said suction opening from said airspace when thetop sheet at the suction opening is remote from the second sheet.

21. A suction foot for separating one sheet of material from another,comprising a body having a main groove with a downwardly exterfdinprojection forming a secondary groove within the first, said secondarygroove forming an' air space permanently exposed to the atmosphere, asuction opening extending through said projection and initially being invcommunication with said air space, whereby when the suction foot isbrought into engagement with a sheet of material air leakage will beentirely over the top sheet, the latter thereby being drawn into themain groove for separating said top sheet from the next sheet.

22. A separator foot formed with a portion for resting on the sheet, asuction space in said foot, and air space within said shoe embracingsaid suction space and concentrically arranged with res ect thereto.

In testimony whereof I ave hereto afixed my signature.

EDWARD CHESHIRE. Witnesses:

Gnono J. BRuMMnR, Tnzeo. R. Foam.

